Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Gospel Reading: Mark 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Again in today’s Gospel Jesus is challenged about good works being performed on the Sabbath. A man with a crippled hand enters the synagogue. The Jewish leaders sit there waiting to see if Jesus will “cure him”. Sensing the hardness of their hearts, Jesus calls the crippled man over and asks the Jewish leaders, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Jesus elects to do good and cures the man’s hand. Paul tells us that Jesus cannot say yes and no.  He cannot chose good or evil; he can only chose good.  Therefore, Jesus can only chose to cure the man.  The Jewish leaders take the commandments way too literally and become enraged at Jesus’ choice to do work on the Sabbath.  How can he work on the Sabbath if He claims to be God.  The Pharisees apparently do not understand the real purpose of the Sabbath; to honor God for all he has done for us. If we see someone cripple or hurt, what better display of gratitude toward God then to reach out and help the individual. The scribes and the Pharisees were so literal in the interpretation, they could not see the good, the yes, that he was doing. Jesus points out that the purpose of the Sabbath is to do good and not to do harm. We are called to save the lives of our fellow brothers and sisters when they are in need. Christians celebrate the Lord’s Day to honor God for all he has done for us. We celebrate the new life that was given to us through the cross and Christ’s resurrection. Through the resurrection, we are given new life and restored to God’s yes. God saved our life through the death of his only son. It is this form of love that God wants us to remember and reflect on during the Sabbath. If we truly love and honor God, then his love will overflow from us out to our neighbors “to do good” and “to save life” – to say yes to the will of God.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, Jesus Christ, I celebrate the resurrection of new life.

Give me the strength to reach out and give this love to others.

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon